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Every June 21 since 2009, Skateistan celebrates International Go Skateboarding Day, along with millions of other skateboarders around the world. In both Afghanistan and Cambodia, kids and staff have taken to the streets on their skateboards to share their love of skateboarding and common identity with people of all backgrounds.

In spring 2011 Skateistan offered its students a specialized film class. Four of those who chose to sign up didn’t yet realize they had taken the first steps to create the dramatic masterpiece ‘Skateistan Break’ – the first student-produced homage to ‘Prison Break’, possibly ever.

Classes covered a range of fundamental filmmaking techniques, including classical camera techniques, the importance of multiple angles, and how to develop characters and atmosphere through particular shots.
Throughout the 8-week course the students mastered the art of story telling via the medium of film, eventually deciding to create their own film.

From this moment on four students - Sulaiman, Hamdullah, Haroon and Karim embarked on a two year long cinematic adventure. The group developed their plot via storyboards, meticulously planning each scene that would tell the story of 'Skateistan Break'. Once they had finished filming, the team proceeded with the next phase of production – to edit, translate and dub over their film. The product of their journey is 'Skateistan Break', a 10m44s film which is 100% a Skateistan student creation.

In early December, Javier Mendizabal and the Quiksilver by Vuerich B Project team travelled to Phnom Penh to meet the Skateistan team and their students. This marked the beginning of an exciting new collaboration to release a range of sunglasses made out of recycled skateboard decks to help support Skateistan. Each handcrafted pair of sunglasses is outfitted with top of the line Carl Zeiss lenses, and some of the skate decks were previously used at Skateistan Cambodia.

Every June 21 since 2009, Skateistan celebrates International Go Skateboarding Day, along with millions of other skateboarders around the world. In both Afghanistan and Cambodia, kids have taken to the streets on their skateboards to share their love of skateboarding and common identity with people of all backgrounds.

This year marks the 10 year anniversary of the holiday, which is celebrated through fundraisers, contests, demos, and skate parades through the streets. If you are organizing or joining a Go Skate Day event this year, consider supporting Skateistan's work with vulnerable children by donating or holding a fundraiser. This could be as simple as putting out a donation jar, having a raffle, or donating part of skate contest entry fees. If you'd like to learn more or get a fundraising kit, just e-mail erika@skateistan.org.